Needle loom



Oct. 2, 1962 H. G. BoNAs ETAL NEEDLE LOOM Filed July l. 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. Z, 1962 H. G. BoNAs ETAL NEEDLE LOOM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1958 mvENToR Hal/ffy G.Bona5 WHam @Arnold ATTORNEY Oct. 2, 1962 H. G. BoNAs ETAL.

NEEDLE LOOM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July l, 1958 Aww , INVENTORJ Wang Georve ms 7% United States Patent O 3,056,431 NEEDLE LOOM Harry George Bonas and William Charles Arnold, Burton-on-Trent, England, assignors to Bonas Bros.

Limited, Burton-on-Trent, England, a British company Filed July 1, 1958, Ser. No. 745,975 Claims priority, application Great Britain July 2, 1957 2 Claims. (Cl. 139-123) This invention relates to needle looms and needle loom fabrics, and is particularly, though not exclusively, related to slide-fastener tapes.

Needle looms, or as they are sometimes called shuttleless looms, have many advantages compared with looms using a shuttle, especially as regards speed of output for narrow fabrics, but they also have certain limitations particularly as regards the range of fabrics which they can produce. For example, it is not possible on any standard needle loom to produce a tape having a split or 2-ply edge whereas just such a tape is desirable for a slide fastener tape in order that one such ply may receive the fastener elements whilst the other serves as a protective or masking flap, or that the fastener elements may be placed between the two plies.

The object of the present invention is t enable the range of products of a needle loom to be extended to include split-edge or multi-ply edge fabrics.

According to the invention, a needle loom is characterised by means for inserting alternatively any one of a plurality of continuous weft threads, whereby fabrics having a wider range, including one having a splitor multi-ply edge, may be produced.

The invention further includes the method of producing a woven fabric in part multi-ply including the steps of laying a plurality of different weft threads alternatively in a predetermined sequence in the same plane and shedding some of the warp ends selectively in groups in such manner that the warp ends of each group are shed only with the same weft, whereby each weft with its group of Warp ends produces a separate woven ply.

According to one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a needle loom characterized in that at least one pair of weft needles is mounted upon a common reciprocable and rotatable head, means being provided in use, in combination with suitable shedding of a plurality of warp threads, alternatively to cause one needle only of the pair to be operative to lay a weft loop within the shed, whereby a fabric may be produced having a body with a 2ply edge.

In one form there are provided two pairs of needles on the head, whereby, in use, two lengths of fabric as aforesaid may simultaneously be woven.

Preferably the means for reciprocating and rotating the head comprises a pair of cams mounted upon a common driving shaft, cam followers being associated with each cam respectively to cause reciproeation and rotation of the head.

The invention will be described further, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross section of a portion of a splitor multi-ply tape suitable for a slide-fastener tape;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the essential parts of one example of a needle loom made in accordance with the present invention and adapted for the manufacture, inter alia, of the tape shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation of part of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2 as seen in the direction of the arrow A;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3 and showing a modification of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a weaving pattern for producing the tape shown in FIG. l.

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the part of a loom in which the present invention is embodied, and FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of the needle holder and associated parts for reciprocating and oscillating it.

As illustrated in FIGS. l to 3, adapted to reciprocate transversely of the loom is a rod 1 carried in a housing 2 which is rigidly mounted to a carrier-plate 3, which in turn isrigidly mounted to the loom frame 4. The outermost end of the rod l carries a block 5 running in guides 6. The rod 1 is arranged to rotate freely in the block 5 but to have no lateral movement relative to it. The block 5 carries a cam follower 7 which works in the track of a cam 8 mounted on the extremity of a cam shaft 15 such that a transverse reciprocating movement is imparted to the rod l whenever the cam 8 is rotating.

Referring to FIG. 6, it will be noted that the main elements of the machine are contained in the housing 4. The main shaft 46 of the machine is driven from any suitable source of power such as an electric motor and the shaft 46 carries a series of cams operative to control the movements of levers 47 and to cause these levers to reciprocate in a vertical arc about their pivot shaft 48. Each lever 47 is connected at one end to a link 49 which is in turn pivotally connected to the base of a heald frame. By suitable disposition of the cams on the main shaft 46, the operator can cause the heald frames 50 to be raised and lowered in the desired manner to provide, for example, a twill weave. The heald frames 50 are mounted in a heald frame carrier which primarily consists of a plate or bracket 51 located at either side of the heald frames and carrying a spindle 52 upon which are mounted flange rollers 53 which abut against the sides of the heald frames. The warps 19b and 2Gb are suitably positioned through the eyes of the healds carried by the heald frames and as the frames are raised and lowered by the means above described, a shed will be formed through which the weft-inserting needle 17 or 16 can pass. The dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 6 indicate the warps.

The rod 1 is further fitted with a key 9 of suitable length which slides freely in a keyway provided in a bearing bush 10. The bush 10 is a free fit in the end of housing 2 such that it can rotate inside the housing 2, and in so doing it will impart, through the key 9, rotation to the rod l, whilst still permitting rod 1 to longitudinally reciprocate freely inside it. This bush 10 is further provided with a radially projecting ar-m 10o clevised at its end and to which is attached by pin 40 the upper end of a connecting rod 11, the lower end of which is pivotally attached to a lever armV 12. This lever arm 12 is piv'oted on a fixed shaft 13 (FIG. 3) and carries a cam follower 12a which operates in the track of a cam 14, which in turn is mounted on the cam shaft 15. Shaft 15 has a pinion 41 keyed upon it and said pinion meshes with a gear 42 driven n; .s from a gear 44 on the main shaft 46 of the machine. Rotation of the cam 14 produces movement to the connecting rod 11 causing the bush 10, and hence rod 1, to oscillate radially through a pre-determined arc.

The cams 8 and 14 being inter-connected by the shaft 15 are arranged to cause a radial oscillation of rod 1 to occur only at such a time in the operating cycle as when rod 1 is retracted from the warp shed and towards the side ofthe loom.

The innermost end of the rod 1, which projects out of the housing 2, carries a block 19, preferably of light alloy, into which two insertion needles 16, 17 are iitted in such a manner and position that when the rod 1 is at either extremity of its radial movement then one or the other of the two needles 16, 17 is in correct alignment with a latch needle 18.

The latch needle 1S is adapted in known manner to reciprocate horizontally alongside the edge of the warps by any suitable mechanism (not shown) and is arranged to pick up the loop of a weft thread when this is laid across the hook 18a by either of the weft inserting needles 16, 17 A construction of needle mechanism with which the mechanism herein described is usable, is described in our co-pending application No. 572,999.

Mounted on the loom and adjacent to the needles 16, 17

are two weft tensioning devices comprising springs or other like known arrangement, through which the weft threads coming from a convenient supply, are taken, one to the eye of each needle 16, 17. l In the operation and to weave the fabric shown in FIG. l, during one cycle of operation one of the needles 16, 1 7, lsay that indicated at 16, passes through the warp shed to lay a weft thread onto the hook 18a of the latch needle 18. Needle 16 then passes back out of the shed 'and when it is clear of the warp shed, then the rod 1 is caused to oscillate and present needle 17 to the warp shed, the shed having since changed in a suitable manner. During the neXt cycle of operation needle 17 then passes through the warp shed to lay its weft thread onto the hook 18a of the latch needle 18, the previous loops having been knitted and cast-off in the conventional manner. During the passage of either of the needles 16, 17 through the warp shed the inoperative needle always passes harmlessly above or below the warp threads and does not have operational ainity with the latch needle 18. The weaving pattern of FIG. 5 gives one example of shedding for production of the tape shown in FIG. l, in which are shown on the left hand side eighteen warp ends 19b which are shed in groups respectively each group containing three ends down and one end up and three up and one down. At the right hand side of the figure are shown warp ends 20h which are shed 2 and 2 and of any repeat number according to the width of body required.

In a needle loom of this kind, the weft is inserted in the form of a loop and such loop must be so secured at the side opposite to that from which the needle is inserted so that as the needle is retracted the loop is not drawn out of the shed. To secure the series of weft loops as above described, the latch needle 18 is employed and it is arranged to retract alongside the edge of the fabric and substantially in synchronism with the reed so that when the weft-inserting needle 16 or 17 reaches the full extent of its traverse across the shed, the latch needle 18 is in such position that it will pass through the loop of weft and prevent such weft from being withdrawn from the shed along with the weft-inserting needle as the latter is being retracted. While the weft-inserting needle is being retracted, the latch needle 18 is moved away from the fell of the fabric, thus drawing with it the end of the loop of weft, which has just been caught in the eye of the needle. The previously-inserted loop of weft is however, positioned around the shank of the needle 18 and thus, as the latter is retracted from the fell of the fabric, the just-laid loop of weft is drawn through the previouslylaid loop, thus knitting the edge of the fabric and conse- A quently preventing the successive loops from being withdrawn from the warp shed.

In operation, with the change of needle as above described and the pattern as shown, a split or divided selvedge is formed at the needle edge of the tape, each part 45 of the selvedge being woven by one needle only, whilst the body is formed by weft of both needles.

In weaving as above described, the weft carried by the inoperative needle is drawn from its weft package as the needle moves, either above or below the shed, and to prevent this weft from becoming slack when the needle is retracted it passes through a strongly loaded eye which will take up such slack. This is a practice known in this art.

The foregoing description for the sake of simplicity covers the application of this invention to a needle loom producing a single piece of fabric, but it is not so restricted. FiG. 4 shows the arrangement applied to a loom producing simultaneously two pieces of fabric, these pieces being positioned one above the other. Rod 1 carries at its innermost end a block 19a which in turn carries two sets, each of two needles, 16, 17, 16a, 17a. The axial position of rod 1 in relation to the two warp sheds, and to the common beat-up reed in particular, is arranged such that when one needle 16, 17, 16a, 17a of each pair is passing through its respective Warp shed then its inoperative partner passes harmlessly clear of the warp threads alternately in front, then behind, the beat-up reed 20a.

The invention is obviously not limited to al1 the details above described either as regards the construction of the mechanism, the weaving pattern or the features of the tape shown, as these are obviously capable of modiiication without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, the alternative weft threads of which there may be more than two can be presented to the shed of the fabric in a different manner and by different means than above described, and could be pulled in instead of taken in by a weft layer, in which case one weft layer could operate on either weft according to a Sequence of selection.

With shedding, such as that above described, and using 2 weft layers changed every insertion, one weft weaves only with the even numbered ends and the other only with the odd numbered ends to produce separate superimposed plies of fabric joined to the body fabric as a 2- ply selvedge. It is of course understood that the weft loops as is necessary with any shuttleless weave are secured at the other selvedge in any known manner, as by knitting or by means of a locking warp from a shuttle. Such method of or means for securing the weft loops is no part of this invention and for brevity is not described or illustrated.

Obviously, other shedding and weft inserting arrangements could be used without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, by arranging the shedding for the even and odd ends to change twice consecutively but alternately respectively the number of weft changes could be halved, but the weave in the selvedge plies would have the appearance of missed picks, or at least of irregular take up but such disadvantage may be outweighed by the advantages of halving the number of weft changes.

By providing additional body warp ends on the side of the warp ends adjacent to what normally are the edges of the two plies, a tubular edged fabric would be woven.

We claim:

l. A high speed needle loom having a head provided with a plurality of needles, a rod having the head attached at one of its ends, a guide through which the rod is longitudinally slidable, the head being disposed beyond the guide, cam means for longitudinally reciprocating the rod, and cam means engaging the rod and operative to oscillate the same and thereby provide oscillating movenient to the needle-carrying head.

5 6 2. A high speed needle loom as provided for in claim 1, References Cited in the le of this patent wherein the cam means for the reciprocation of the rod UNITED STATES PATENTS consists of a cam having a perlpheral groove, a follower 1,948,406 Warsaw Feb. 20, 1934 

